Award-winning scholar/educator creates scholarship to support NSU graduate students

NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State University Foundation announces the Anne Barry Graves Endowed Superior Graduate Scholarship, a new fund dedicated to supporting graduate students in the Department of Biology and Microbiology. This scholarship, initiated with a $60,000 donation from Edna Anne Barry Graves of Lubbock, Texas, will be matched by the Louisiana Board of Regents, reaching a total endowment of $100,000.

 “This tremendous gift will significantly impact future students and programs that are currently in development in the department. This donation will go a long way to helping us create opportunities for students,” said Dr. Chris Lyles, director of NSU’s School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,

The Anne Barry Graves Endowed Superior Graduate Scholarship is the first of its kind for NSU’s Department of Biology and Microbiology. The scholarship aims to provide financial assistance to graduate students pursuing advanced studies and research in biological sciences.

Graves created the scholarship through the NSU Foundation to honor her parents, Geneva “Bit” and Fredrick Barry. The Barrys were instrumental in supporting Edna and her brother’s educational journeys, including her brother’s medical school education. Graves wanted to acknowledge their contributions and support future students in their academic pursuits.

A native of New Orleans, Anne Barry Graves enrolled at NSU in 1968, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology education in 1972. She had a distinguished career as a teacher, beginning at DeRidder High School and later teaching special education in Minden. Her career continued with 25 years at Sam Houston High School in Westlake. She earned a master’s degree in biology education from McNeese State University and taught several classes at the college level.

Graves’s career extended beyond the classroom; she worked in various roles including as a medical lab technician and an instructor of human anatomy and physiology. She also engaged with numerous scientific and educational organizations at the state, national and international levels. Her achievements include a Fulbright Fellowship to Japan, multiple research programs and numerous awards recognizing her excellence in teaching and science.

Graves father, Fredrick Barry, was a World War II veteran and a photojournalist, while her mother, Geneva “Bit” Barry, was a registered nurse with a long career in healthcare.

For those interested in supporting the Anne Barry Graves Endowed Superior Graduate Scholarship, contributions can be made through the NSU Foundation’s website at https://northwesternstatealumni.com/graves-scholarship/. Additional information about NSU’s Department of Biology and Microbiology is available at https://www.nsula.edu/sciences/.